Mainframe High
by Charles RocketBoy
Summary: (AU fic) Mainframe High, an illustrious melting pot of Data Sprites, Viruses and Binomes. And underneath it all a virus is building a powerbase, two Sprites stumble their way towards a relationship, and one student may be on the verge of madness.
1. Set It Up

**BYTE ONE: SET IT UP**

____________________

It had happened again. Bob had been minding his own business when suddenly Dot had appeared in front of him, completely naked, and posed in an inviting position.

     Then she'd turned into a demonic version of Miss Brodie and screamed "DO YOUR HOMEWORK!", at which point homework monsters rose up and started eating his code, and thankfully that was when Bob woke up.

     _Maybe ignoring that Dos Literature homework was a mistake…_ he thought, before tapping his Icon and calling up his clothes skin for today (a very old T-shirt with the Guardian Icon on and scruffy jeans). He lurched his way downstairs to the kitchen, his mind needing a good cup of Java or five to wake up. His parents were already there, leading to the uncomfortable position of having to talk to them about school while also trying to stay awake.

    And they also brought up The Subject.

    "So, how are you doing in Mechanics?" asked his father, a mechanic from a line of mechanics and spouse of a mechanic.

    "Pretty good," Bob lied. "I'll be fixing cars in no time!"  
    "That's my boy!"

    They never asked specific questions, which was a blessing- Bob kept forgetting what an interociter was and his teacher was on the verge of paying him to stop taking the class.

    He set off on Zip-Board, narrowly avoided mid-air collision with a speeding Ray Tracer, touched down in front of the illustrious crumbling wreck that was Mainframe High School, and had just one second to register the cry of **"BOB!"** before he was knocked flying.

    A strong blue arm reached out and grabbed him before he hit the ground.

    "I'd best be careful if I were you, Bob," said a pleasantly deep British accent. "Don't want to hurt ourselves now, do we?"  
    "Ah, thanks Meggy."  
    Sigh. "Really, why does everyone have to abbreviate it so? It's most irritating…"  
    The Matrixes came towards them. Leading the group was Enzo II, heavily enthusiastic; behind him came Enzo I, who insisted everyone called him Matrix and who sported stubble & a (V)-engraved contact lens to seem cool- he glared daggers at his twin for showing them up. (Originally he hadn't had a twin, but there'd been an accident at the hospital involving the labour and a Copy Function).

   Walking past them was Dot.   
   Ah, Dot.

   Her face was an exquisite creation, with her hair a vibrantly-dyed mess and her sharp eyes peering through those sexy half-glasses. Her purple velvet dress hugged close to her body, curving around her breasts, while her right shoulder was left exposed with all its smooth skin. Her legs were clad in torn fishnets, her inner thigh contained a heart tattoo and her leather boots nearly came up to her knees. To Bob, this was the embodiment of desire and-

    She smiled and blushed slightly. "Hi Megabyte."  
    _They always go for his accent. Why is that?_

    The young virus smiled with all three rows of teeth. "Ah, the lovely Ms. Matrix." He gave a slight bow. "Always a pleasure. I shall see you in Business, I presume?"  
    She grinned wickedly. "You think I'd bunk off when I've been beating your scores for the last minute? Dream on."  
    "I shall, Ms. Matrix. I shall…"  
    A slight smile on his face, he strode off confidently, leaving Matrix to voice: "That guy creeps me out."  
    "Why? He's one of the best students, best athletes, best-"

    "You see how he talks? It's always like he's planning something."

    "I'm not getting into another debate with you on virus integration this early in the second, OK? I have to get to class."  
    A few nanoseconds after she'd gone, Bob said: "We don't have class for another ten nano's."  
    "Well, that's Dot for ya!" said Enzo. "So- how about a quick game of Jetball?"  
    "Not right now."  
    "OK. Want to perve over Dot some more?"  
    Bob went an interesting shade of purple. "I did not, I was not- stop laughing-"

**************************

Megabyte strode down the corridors, attracted longing glances from all the girls and hails from the boys. He was a popular guy, young Megabyte, and one of the great figures in the high school social pecking order.

    And yet he ducked into a vacant classroom where a lanky Binome was waiting for him and glancing around furtively.

    "Jawohl, Grossenbitter! I thought you weren't comink today."  
    "Why Herr, you really think I'd miss out on our new… _input_, would I?" He sneered in a way most wouldn't expect from him. "Let's see."  
    From one of Herr Doktor's pockets came two small pill bottles. Nimbly the virus took them both and inserted them into a slot on his arm.

    "_Excellent_. This should keep us in profit for the next minute or so, I'd say. Pass a message to Chauncy and the others though- Mark Renton is behind on his payment. Maybe he needs some _incentives_."

    "Ahaw, ya ya, I get you!"

    "Good. Run along now."

    Viruses were traditionally motivated towards power or subversion. Since the Viral Integration Act was passed, this motivation was fulfilled through careers and social standings. Megabyte wanted more. Dealing in the GIGO drug was a very useful way of doing that- and surely it couldn't be _his_ fault if there were fools weak enough to buy it from him. 

    Speaking of power, he'd seen the way Dot Matrix was looking at him. There was potential there. A bit of seduction, then introduce her to GIGO to make the conquest complete. Yes, that would do nicely.

********************

"IT'S ALIVE! ALIIIIVE!"

   "That's the last time I'm leaving food in my locker over the weekend," muttered Bob, dumping the offending object in the bin.

    "And so the first to be voted out of the Big Brother house is The Hideous Mutant Cheese Sandwich, one of our more-"

    "Mike?"

    "Yeah?"  
    "Shut up."

    Mike wandered off, muttering about oppression of free speech, and Bob steeled himself for another lesson of Mechanics. On his way there, he noticed Mouse and fell into step alongside her. She smirked, her default expression.

   Mouse was… well, she was a bit odd, to be frank. No-one knew where she came from or where she lived, and some took the view that she just slummed it in the G-Prime streets. She was an energetic and almost wild girl, fixated on one day becoming a Hacker. Her Programming grades were high enough to make it seem plausible, and when asked why she did Mechanics her answer was always "So Ah can build myself a Ship!". 

   It was also pretty obvious that she was attracted to Bob. But she was also attracted to Ray Tracer, and no-one was quite sure if even she knew who she really wanted.

   "So, you're still plugging away with grim determination, eh sugah?"  
   "I don't believe in the no-win scenario!"  
   "Ah think you should start."  
   "Can you feel the _love_ in this System, ladies and gents?"  
   Mouse whacked him playfully in the shoulder before looking over his shoulder, grimacing slightly and speeding up. Bob had just enough time to wonder why before two leather-clad arms wrapped around him from behind.

    "Bobby!"  
    "_urk._"

    Hexadecimal. Brother of Megabyte, but you'd never know it to look at her. She was completely dotty, floating (literally) through the school hallways and messing up in every subject except for Art. She was always clad in some variation of leather fetish-wear and nobody was sure why, though she did once come in naked after forgetting to put her clothes on (the on-the-spot excuse of "IT WAS ART!" didn't work). More disturbing was her face or lack of it, as her emotions were only shown through a series of changing masks. 

    Hex was the loner of the school. She had no real friends and many students would gossip and sneer behind her back. She didn't seem to notice or care though, lost within her own little world. She had an obsession with Bob created after he made the effort to talk to her. He found the attention a little disturbing but he never dared voice that to her. Partly because in his eyes she was incredibly hot, but also happened to be a disturbing individual. 

    Despite that, he felt sorry for the virus. And it wasn't just because of how the rest of the school treated her- it was also because he knew that she may be genuinely mad. 

   And he knew what the CPUs and Guardians would do about a mad virus.

   So he talked to her and defended her in front of his friends. What else could he do?  
  "Hi… Hex… Er, this isn't really a good time, I have to get to class-"

   A confused mask appeared before being replaced with a smiling one. "Oh yes, classes!  Completely slipped my mind! Ah yes, off I go to Art then!"  
    "That's not till later."  
    "**_Do you doubt me?!_**" Her war mask appeared for a second before she said: "No, wait, you're right. Oh yes, it's Cooking now! Oh, I do so love making those little cookies…" The confused one returned again. "I don't know why people don't like me making the cookies look like _them_ though."  
   "Uh, I don't know either Hex. I guess it could be the, uh… facial expressions."

   "_Really_ Bob? Don't people realise if they were cookies _they'd scream in horror as they were cooked_?" The war mask went away, replaced by a smirking one. "Anyway, I'll see you around. Ta ta…"  
   Bob was now running late for Mechanics. It did not help that when he ran in, "Old Man" Pearson (so named for being a grumpy son of a glitch) called out: "So, the Angel of Deletion returns to plague the hardware."  
   "_Last lesson was an accident!_"

**************************

While Bob attempted to avoid mass destruction, Dot and Megabyte sped through their work in an attempt to outdo the other. Occasionally they'd catch each other's eye and smirk, both neck and neck at the moment. 

     Sitting near Dot was a pimply Binome by name of Specky, a name he'd had before he'd even needed glasses, and the glasses themselves were held together by tape. And he didn't notice the contest going on, as he was too busy staring at Dot. 

     She regarded him as a friend. He was in love with her. The only girl in existence to notice him beyond jokes? Of course he'd fallen in love. You had to feel sorry for him because Dot didn't even know about it and there was never any real chance of reciprocation. Specky was doomed, really.

    Near the back of the class lurked Gavin Capacitor, an attempt at a moustache on his mouth-block and a home-made pirate's hat on his head. He didn't like the name Gavin though. He ran the Saucy Mare's gang and preferred to be called Captain or the Crimson Binome. Not for him the life of a sector-dwelling worker. He wanted to roam the Net in a ship of his own. He wanted to visit all the Systems out there. 

     His mate Christopher wanted the life of an accountant. The two had it all planned though- they'd set up a trading company with Gavin as manager and Christopher doing the accounts and the rest of the gang working as deckhands on the boat. It could work, Capacitor told himself. It could work.

     Dot's dreams of the future included running her own diner, owning majority shares in the key businesses of the System and being Command.Com. When she dreamt, she dreamt _big_. After all, didn't her father tell her at a young age how she could do and be anything she wanted?

    On the personal side of things, her dreams were shakier. There was Megabyte, and then there was Bob. 

    Megabyte was a perfect match really. He just meshed with her- his intelligence and ambition mirrored her own. And she knew he was interested.

    Bob didn't match her at all. Yet there was something endearing about him. His optimism, maybe, or maybe his morality and kindness. Maybe just that she'd known him for so long. Or his hot physique. And while he'd never stated as much, even fragging Hack and Slash could tell he was attracted to her.

    Arrrrrg. This stuff confused Dot. Too hard to plan.

***************************************************

Lunchtime finally arrived and the young Sprites rushed towards the canteen, ate their food quickly in order to avoid tasting the horrible taste, and then went about their business. 

   Said business was a bit odd for the school Pong team. As Pong jocks, they had a high social status and a license to be jerks. They knew how it all went. What they never expected, however, was to have someone like Phong on the team.

    Observe:  
    Daemon walked by the Pong team. She was a vivacious young Virus and everyone liked her. She just has an infectious personality. The Pong team watched her go (except Hack and Slash, deep in argument about a topic they couldn't even remember).

   "Now _that_ is a fit girl," said Turbo. "Nice rack and everything."

   "She is athletic indeed!" said Phong. "Her form supple and graceful like the willow… Hmmmm, no, that simile doesn't fit, for willows aren't really graceful and lack the crown of spikes that Daemon has-"

    "Phong, I didn't mean fit as in… ah, never mind."

    This happened a lot. The team could never stop hanging around Phong though as that just isn't Done for teams. Phong himself always wondered why his metaphors, similes and sayings resulted in blank faces unless Megabyte was around.

     Off near the grounds of the school, AndrAIa and Brenda (a One biker Binome who wore a padded furry bra for fashion reasons) were discussing bikes. Again.

    "This is a _nice_ bike! V3- good handling, high acceleration, stylish design… where did Megabyte get the money for this, and can I borrow some?"  
    "Yeah, it's pretty snazzy," said Brenda. "But I dunno- they're never replace the Hardware-Diodeson's. Those are just iconic. It's not a V3 they're using in _Easiac Rider_, is it?"

    AndrAIa gave a slight shrug before noticing Matrix coming over. Giving a slight wave, she yelled "Hey! Fancy a ride into Baudway!"  
    "Sure!"

    Backspace a few metres, and you'd see Dot watching from a seat in the grounds, looking slightly disturbed.

   "Maybe I'm being a bit too sensitive here, but does anyone else think Matrix's girlfriend is a little, er-"

   "Skanky?"

   "Not quite the word I was looking for, Mouse. More… loose."  
   "Skanky."  
   "Oh log off."

   "She does have a point," said Bob, speaking through a mouthful of food. "I'm sure AndrAIa's perfectly nice but… just process that wardrobe. Says it all."  
    "I like AndrAIa," said Enzo. "She's cool."  
    "But you thought it was cool when Friskett swallowed that UNFORMAT command."  
    "It was!"  
    "I rest my case…"

    Mouse decided to leave the remains of her lunch and turned to Bob with an evil grin. "So sugah, planning on telling us all about Mechanics?"  
    "I didn't mean to create a Tear! It just- happened!"  
    "Your parents still don't know about all this?" asked Dot.

    "Are you random?! I'm not going to tell them! They'd flip! They're just too set on me continuing the family business. I just lie about it and get Mouse to forge my reports when I get them."  
    "You should just stand up to them about it."  
    "Huh. Easier said than done."

    Enzo looked up, a mercenary little glint in his eye. "What was that about forging reports-"

    "_No_, Enzo."

    "Listen to your sister. She's big and scary." Bob took a look at his watch and groaned. "Oh cursors. Five nano's till Dos Literature."  
     "You didn't do the homework again, did you?"  
     "Not as such, no."

***************

The end of the day arrived, to the eternal joy of all students and teachers involved (except Smiley the Maths teacher, who was even happy to get Enzo's Friskett-chewed homework). Only a few students hung around once the bell had rung, most of them being the Saucy Mare gang on their way to Baudway. Cries of "arrrrr" echoed throughout the school.

    Mouse was hanging around too, and was faintly annoyed about the whole thing. She had things to do, where was he? 

    "Ah, Mouse. What a delightful-"

    "You took your sweet time, honey!"  
    "I had a few items of business to take care of," said Megabyte. "Nothing to concern your sweet self about. Now then…"

    His arm slot opened up, depositing his GIGO stash, and he tipped three pills out into his hand. Mouse nodded with satisfaction and handed over the money.

    "That should do me for a week. See ya round, sugah."  
    The virus smiled indulgently, up until the point when she'd Zip-Boarded up of site. Annoying bitch.

   But things were looking up. The next Pong match was due soon, he had several customers ready to be fully exploited, things with Dot were going smoothly and best of all, Renton would _not_ be skipping his payments again. 

   He wondered vaguely what was on at the Electro-Cinematique.

*****************

"Avast Mr Norton, you scurvy C-Drive! You clearly have the taste of a comatose bilge-null!"  
   "Arrrrr, there be nothin' wrong with the Small-Town Binomes' sea shanties!"  
   "Blow me down, you be a fool!" 

   The sounds of the Saucy Mare gang faded away into the night. Hexadecimal had barely registered them from her room- she'd been too busy working on her latest masterpiece. Now it was finished and she stood back to admire it.

    The smiling face of a messiah-like Bob looked out of the canvas. Originally that had been it, even if she'd had the idea of giving him scales, lengthening and slipping him into silver body armour. But dotted around the image were grotesque figures that only barely resembled Sprites and in the background, the charred bones of the Mainframe High School with rotting heads impaled on it.

    It was only now that Hexadecimal noticed that the heads resembled several of the other students.

    She stared at it a bit longer before her mask transmuted into a joyous grin.

   "Perfect." 


	2. Manipulating Data

**BYTE TWO: MANIPULATE DATA**

________________________________

"Dad, we're heading off now! Dad?"  
   There came a non-committal mumbling from Wellman's room. Dot didn't bother trying to get anything else out of him- all those late nights at the labs were really getting to him. Still, at least he tried to get home on time every other day.

    She eyed Matrix suspiciously as he came out of his room looking bleary. "You came in past midnight _again_. What are you up to?"  
    "I was out with AndrAIa."  
    Dot paused for a moment before understanding kicked in. "Oh bloody hell, I wish I hadn't asked now…"  
   "You think Dad suspects anything?" He looked pretty worried at this thought.

   "Matrix, he's in later than you are most nights. I doubt he's figured it out." She suddenly winced. "I hope Enzo hasn't figured it out. He's a lot smarter than we give him credit for."  
   "Now there's a thought I could have done without."  
   The conversation would have gone on longer if they hadn't noticed Enzo come out of his room and by the look on his face he'd heard everything. As the three Zip-Boarded to school, Matrix turned a very interesting shade of red.

*********************

 Hexadecimal hovered a few feet above the heads of the other students, humming tunelessly to herself as she thought about the day ahead. This time she did have an Art lesson and… well, she wasn't sure what the other lessons were, but she'd figure it out eventually and BOB!

     She swooped down and landed directly in front of him, her mask beaming.

    "Ah, Bob! You're in early!"  
    "Hex! You, uh, you startled me."

    This was true. But Hex was also standing uncomfortably close, her chest only an inch from his. His hormones were acting up.

    "So… um… how are you doing in Art?"  
    "Brilliant! We've started on our course about the Sprite body and basic nudity!" Her mask switched to a frown. "The teacher doesn't seem to be too pleased with me doing self-portraits in this course."  
    "Urg. I… I can't imagine why." 

    A nanosecond's thought and Bob really wished he hadn't said that. Hex's new smirk scared him.

    "So, Bob…"  
    "IT'S THE LURRRRRVE HOSPITAL!"  
    "Mike!" burst out Bob gratefully. "Hey, it's Mike! How're you doing?!"

    "Great! I've seen a 4.7% decrease on my car tax ever since I switched to Churchill car insurance! Now I too can afford one of these _fab_ulous Null-print settees, all for the incredibly price of ninety-nine-ninety-nine-_ninety-niiiiinnnnne_!"

     Hexadecimal started giggling, a wild and discordant outburst that even made Mike fall quiet with worry.

    "He's funny!"  
    "He is?"  
    "Anyway, I must be going- byeee!"

    Mike waited until she was out of earshot before saying, in a sonorous tone, "Here we see the wild Hexadecimal in her natural habitat, just as mating season gets under-"

    "MIKE!"

    There was a slight cough behind them; the Matrixes had arrived and Dot looked slightly disturbed.

    "Ah," said Bob. "You saw all that then."  
    "Yep," said Enzo, a big grin on his face. "Man, Hex is alphanumeric!"  
    "That's not the word I was thinking of," muttered Matrix.

    "So- Bob! Did you ever get that Dos Literature homework done?" Dot's voice was slightly shrill. Hex and her attention to Bob was not a line of conversation she wanted to go down.

    "Oh yeah, didn't take that long."  
    "A two-millisecond essay didn't take that long?"  
    "Well, once you get the characters and symbolism and everything from _Of Nulls And Ones_ straight, the essays are pretty easy. I'll never be able to look at a wabbit the same now…"  
    "Our back garden once got a wabbit. Bred so much it nearly crashed the whole place!"  
    "Then we sicced Friskett on them." Enzo had an evil little grin on his face. "It was great."

    "That dog scares me."  
    "You only say that because he tried to gnaw off your leg that one time…"

******************

Biology lesson. Still on Webcreatures. Well, Megabyte knew enough about Webcreatures to tune out the lesson and dwell on his problems.

   His secondary problem was Capacitor and his little gang. He was used to assembling his gang on Level 31 but those idiotic pirate imitators were starting to visit that area with annoying regularity. They were a nuisance and had to be done away with. He made a mental note to get Chauncy to launch an attack- best to send a message before Capacitor came across something he should have, like the viral's various dealings.

    His primary problem was Bob. Logically, the threat of being caught as a criminal were greater than rivalry over a female Sprite, but Megabyte was becoming fixated. If we wanted something and faced resistance in getting it, he would become obsessed with it. So it was with Dot.

    She was going to be his. It was a power thing.

    That blue twat had to be taken out of play for her affections. But, of course, without it seeming obvious that he was trying to do so. Ah well. It shouldn't be too difficult.

    A few seats away from him was Specky, similarly lost in thought over Dot. You could almost have seen the lonely adolescent longing within him. Not that anybody bothered to notice him. 

    There was currently a rash of hormones floating around this school. This was unlikely to end happily for most concerned.

********************

End of Biology, leaving behind a class disturbed by the Web Spore's mating cycle. And there was Dot, heading toward her locker with a vacant look in her eyes as her mind filled with stats, graphs and finances.

   "Ah, the lovely Ms. Matrix! Such a pleasure to see you again."  
   "You see me every day, Megabyte."  
   "And it's always a pleasure."

   She grinned. "You're being charming today. What's the occasion?"

   "Oh, I just wondered what you were doing this lunch."  
   "Oh! Erm. Ah. Just… hanging with my brothers!" Inside her head, she winced. Not even Hack and Slash would view that as sincere- alright, maybe Hack and Slash.

    "Ah, family. I'm afraid I don't quite get on with my dear sister the same way you do with your brothers. I'm afraid most of the school had to witness her, oh how shall I put this, _amorous_ attentions towards Bob. She really has no concept of subtlety."  
    "Yeah, I saw that." She grinned again, this time trying to avoid acting like the thought of it hurt.

    "Hmmmm. You should probably inform him to stop drooling so much next time she does that. It was rather sickening."  
    There was a slight uncertainty in her eyes that hadn't been there before. "I'll see you later, I've got another class."  
    Megabyte watched her go, a slight smile on his face. Manipulation was quite easy when nobody expected you to do it. Thank the User for his thespian abilities and the Viral Integration Act- they made things so much easier. 

    And so many viruses didn't take advantage of this. They actually integrated. Just ten, fifteen hours ago they had been picketed against, crowds of Sprites crying "No blankers in our schools". Blankers from how they erased the minds of those they infected. They infected because they were viruses and that's what they did, and yet so many betray that to be like Sprites.

   Daemon. Hexadecimal. Father.

   Traitors.

   One day he would have the power and the opportunity, and he would see all three dead in the most painful and degrading ways he could think of. 

-

There was another lesson before the big lunch break, but it was Geography for most of our cast and nobody wants to suffer through that. (Bob had a Mechanics lesson but managed to avoid any major gaffs so what's the point?)

    Phong, as always, found himself with the jocks. He wasn't really paying attention to anything- neither was Hack and Slash, too busy arguing over whether or not their mailman was Norton reincarnate.

    "Daemon's blatantly a lesbian," said Hardboot, pointing towards the offending virus further down the corridor. "Ever see her go out with anyone? No."  
    "She even turned me down once! Blatant dyke."  
    "He's not Norton!"  
    "Do we ever get any infected mail from him? NO!"

    "…all right, I'll give you that…"

    "Hey, Phong! I bet you couldn't score a date with Daemon if you tried. I just bet you."  
    "Hmmmm?" The golden Sprite looked up, currently distracted from his train of thought. The word Daemon had managed to get through to him though, so off he trundled since he had nothing better to do.

    "'allo!" Daemon fixed Phong with her usual radiant smile, her voice tinged with a slight accent.

    "Ah, Daemon! I was very impressed with your explanation of Latter-Second Co-userists in Religious Programming. I admit I have been traditionally sceptical of the sect's beliefs but your defence was illuminating!"

     "It only makes sense. A User that creates our Systems and bring us upgrades can not be the sort of User who would nullify us in Games or create hostile dataforms! That would just be silly. Clearly there must be a second User of equal power and high malevolence."  
     "It would indeed explain a lot of things- _but_, have you considered the Web? What would be the point of its creation, even for a malevolent User? Breaches are few and far between, it serves no use for Him."  
    "Ah, but there is an answer for that…"  
    The jocks watched with awe as Phong and Daemon walked off.

   "I don't believe it."  
   "How did he do that?! My complimenting her butt didn't work, what did he use?!"

   "HE IS NORTON!"  
   "Norton was a tall Sprite with a glowing halo around his head! Our mailman isn't!"

   "Norton didn't look like that!"  
   "He does in the paintings!"

*********************

Capacitor, Sally and Christopher were gathered near the lockers, talking piratey. Well, Christopher tried to but he could never quite get the hang of it.

    Gavin was starting to be concerned. His friend had gotten involved in the gang, true, but he didn't seem quite comfortable a lot of the time. And to be honest, it was unlikely that he was going to like it in a nautical enterprise if he had to actually be on the boat.

    So… what? What could he do? Give up on his plans? Sever ties with Christopher? The latter actually seemed like the better choice- Christopher would be able to take a career that he'd be happier in –but cut ties with his best friend? Gavin didn't want that.

     A few lockers across, three girls (two One Binomes and a Data Sprite) were chatting away.

    "What I don't get is how a cool guy like Megabyte gets _that_ for a sister?"  
    "Yeah, I know! Have you _seen_ her clothes? I mean, ick. What is she, mad?"

   "More like mad/1. Hex is just a complete freak-"

   WHAM

   The corridor fell silent and all eyes turned to Bob. His fist had slammed into the lockers next to the girls, and he was trembling with anger.

   The last girl to speak got over her moment of fear and started to yell back.

   "_What_? What is your problem?"  
   "Ye being an irritating wench," muttered Sally.

   "Log off! I'm not talking spam from some pathetic little freak pretending she's a pirate when everyone knows you come from fragging _Beverly_!"  
    Sally's eyes narrowed and a slight smirk appeared on her face. "Ha! That be rich, insults coming from such a lowly piece of null-discharge only brave enough to insult a virus _when she's not in earshot_."

    There wasn't really a counter to that. The girls left the area in a huff and Capacitor gave a thumbs-up to Bob, who was now starting to feel pretty embarrassed about doing that in public.

   "I don't see why people find it odd, pirates coming from Beverly Hills…"

***************

More lessons passed. One of them was SEX Education, which didn't do Specky much good at all. In the midst of his hormonal yearnings for Dot, a lesson like that with Sex spelt out in full caps? Arg.

    He had to go for it. He couldn't stand waiting any longer. 

    School eventually ended and the Binome was able to track her down. She was with Mouse at the time, so he had to signal her over into an empty classroom to talk privately- signalled because he didn't dare try speaking in front of a witness like Mouse, who was starting to smirk. 

    "So is this about the Business Studies homework?" asked Dot. "I can help you out with that, it's quite simple once you get the hang of-"

    "It's, er, not that." Not for the first time, he wished he had a more impressive voice.

    "Oh? Well, what is it then?"

    He paused for a moment, trying to figure out the right words to say. Then he gave up and launched in.

    "W-would you like to go out tonight?"  
    Dot frowned. "What do you- oh. Oh!"

    In his mind, Specky had imagined how this would go. She'd be swept off her feet by his charm, they'd go off, it would all be great. In real life, she looked horrified. She was actually just stunned, she just hadn't expected Specky to ever say something like that, but to his insecure mind this was his ideal rejecting him, being repulsed by him.

    "I-I can't, sorry Specky, I just have a lot scheduled in for tonight and the rest of the week, so, er, try catching me some other time, BYE!"

    "Bye," he said softly, a nano after she'd left. "Spam it."

***********

Level 31 at night was just like Level 31 in daytime. Dark, dingy, Null-infested, the only real light coming from the flickering sign above Al's Diner. 

    Perfect spot for a gang of pirates, Gavin thought. Plus the drinks were good at Al's and the slow food was pretty good once in a while (he'd made an order three days ago, it should be ready tomorrow). 

   "Arrrrrrr! Our like will always find its way to ports like this!"  
   "Aye, Cap'n! Suits us, so it does!"  
   "Away, blasted null! Chew on someone else's shoe!"

   Usually they'd spend a millisecond or so just doing this. Sprites would pass them by, looking at them oddly before carrying on. Today though, there were none. They'd seen another gang approaching, and nobody in G-Prime was stupid enough to get near a gang fight.

    "Cap'n," said Andrew. "Hostiles off starboard."  
    Capacitor peered over at the new group. It was roughly the same size as his gang but… they were all wearing the same thing. Blue suits with bike helmets, almost like a military uniform. Icons that seemed green and eyes with green/red contacts.

    They were pretending to be viral? Why would anyone do that?  
   And they were armed. Not all of them but three armed guys were more than the Saucy Mare gang had. 

   "Get ready for-"

    The virals charged.

    The lead viral rushed towards Capacitor with a length of pipe, holding it straight so it would be ready for easy bludgeoning. This guy was trained. Gavin quickly kicked out straight, catching the guy in the chest and knocking him down. The next blow landed on the arm, making him let go of the pipe- Capacitor grabbed it and whipped it downwards at the head of a viral Zero attempting to jump him.

    Around him, the gangs were reaching stalemate. Virus and pirate alike were taking down each other, landing blows and spilling energy from cracked blocks and bruised mouths. There was no mercy- those with weapons used them and even Miss Sally wasn't spared a beating. 

   He went for the armed virals first- those weapons were an advantage. Quick blows with the pipe and they were disarmed and the pirates had the weapons. The tables turned. A whack at the head of the lead viral and the group backspaced- not fast but slowly, as if they meant to.

    Three of the pirates were down and bleeding; the rest were bruised, occasionally bloody, but still in on piece. Capacitor raised his pipe and gave a triumphant "ARRRRR!", garnering an enthusiastic response.

    Then he noticed Christopher. He was bruised across the left side of his face and he'd just picked himself off the ground. In the fight, he'd gone down far too quickly and if it hadn't been for the rest of the gang holding their own, the virals would have been able to seriously hurt him. 

    Gavin knew that Christopher could do better on his own, that he wasn't completely happy with the gang. Now he knew his friend could get put in hospital. Maybe deleted.

    No. He had to get Christopher out of the gang. 

    For his own sake. 

-


	3. Sixteenth Base

**BYTE THREE: SIXTEENTH BASE**

The Matrixes were running late today. Bob sat around drumming his fingers on a bench, his morning Java not yet having an effect. Ah well- he reckoned that seeing Dot would wake him right up. Or, alternatively, having Enzo jump him would wake him right up.

    As it turned out, what woke him up was having Hex put her hands over his eyes and feeling her bosom poke into his back.

   "H-h-hi Hex…"

   "Bobby! I didn't startle you now, did I?"  
   "A bit. Um, could you move? You're… you're…" He coughed. "You're breasts are poking me." Pause. "Urg, did I really just say that?"  
    His hormones were churning again and Hex's sultry laughing didn't help him much. This was always the way when Hexadecimal showed him- he would be turned on and scared at the same time, his body giving him conflicting messages. He sometimes felt that way about Dot but that was never from her invading his personal space. 

    "Ah, Bob. I have something…" Her mask smirked. That was never a good sign. "…to ask of you. What are you doing tonight?"  
_    Get away fast._

    "Because," she continued as if the worried expression on his face wasn't there, "I was wondering if you'd be interested in coming round for dinner or something…"  
    _Ah. Spam._

 Well, what choice was there? Bob had made the effort to talk to her, to provide her with a friend. He couldn't say no to her. Not after all that, not when he knew that she could be going mad, not when rejecting her could damage her. 

   Not when, when it got down to it and he evaluated it all, he did see her as a friend.

   "Sure! I'll see you here when school finishes."  
   "Oh goodie! Just what we needed…" She grabbed him and pressed forwards into him, the smirk in full force. "Some down-time. And we could go-"

   "Yeah, I've heard that one."  
   "Oh." The mask went into neutral, as if she was disappointed at the joke being known. "Well, see you later- I've got Art to get to!"

   Bob allowed himself a sigh of relief once Hexadecimal had gone. This was not boding well at all.

Bob had been understandably focused on the nutty virus. As such, he'd missed the arrival of the Matrixes and also missed them staring at him and Hexadecimal as she ignored all laws of personal space.

   "I feel very sorry for Bob right now," said Matrix.

   "What's she _doing_?"

   "Flirting. Very badly."  
   "Huh. Well, she's gone now- should we go give Bob moral support?" asked Enzo.

   "He could need it. Dot?"  
   Dot was still looking at where Hex had been. And she was trembling slightly.

   "Dot?"  
   "I've got things to do."  
   And she walked off, her head low down so no-one could see her face. 

   She was being stupid. She _knew_ she was being stupid. This was Hex, that's how she acted, it didn't mean Bob had reciprocated in any way. But he'd had a soft spot for the virus for a while now, defending her and bringing her up and prolonging conversations with her when most would try to get out of them. He had some sort of feelings for her.

   And then there was what Megabyte said. And what reason would he have to lie?  
   She had no chance with Bob now. She'd taken too long, someone had seen the gap in the market and now… now she felt oddly devastated. She hadn't even been in a relationship with him and still it hurt.

    _Was this how Specky felt?_

_    I should have handled it better with him._

_    Spam it, why did I have to take so long with Bob?_

__

"Hi Bob. What was all that with Hex about?"  
   "I've been invited round her house," said Bob, speaking like it was a death sentence. "Which at least means I don't have to go home and hear about my parents going on and on about me being a mechanic again, so hey! Everything's F.A.B.!"  
    Matrix snorted. "Well, that's going to be a real barrel of laughs. Being stuck in the same place as her for hours?"  
    "She's not that bad."  
    "Bob, we saw her trying to flirt with you. It was disturbing. She's got a circuit loose in her head or-"

     "I don't think it's any of your business really," he said, voice higher than it needed to be.

     "I just-"

     "Not everybody is a bigot about these things, you know."  
     Matrix went very tense at that. There was a moment when his eyes narrowed that Bob felt he was going to hit him, but then he stormed off without a word.

    "…I overreacted, didn't I?"  
    "Yup," said Enzo. "Don't worry, he'll calm down. Dot has a go at him for that stuff every other day and it heals quickly."

    "I know… I'm just sensitive when it comes to Hexadecimal. He wasn't even trying to be mean or anything."  
    "Eh, I dunno. He does have a problem with viruses for some reason. Plus general angst from wanting to seem separate from me, seeing as we're copies." Enzo paused, looked at Bob's expression and grinned. "Hey, I only _act_ basic."

     "Enzo the Smart, everybody!"  
     "Don't forget it."

"Avast! We be reaching the end of break! Curses!"  
   "Ah, we'll weather the storm of tedium, me hearties!"  
   "Cap'n, why are we meeting up here though? Normally we just-"

   "I felt like changing it," snapped Gavin. "All right?"  
   "Fine. Just- where's Christ-"

   "So, what say you all about those scurvy curs that attacked us at Level 31?"  
   "Well, Cap'n," said Sally, "seeing as they beat me up and all… I say we find the blaggards and gully 'em."

   There was a murmur of consent for that.

The others hadn't showed up and so Christopher had been standing in the usual place for the whole of break.

    By the end of it, he realised they weren't coming. That they'd chosen to meet somewhere else and they hadn't told him. That Gavin was snubbing him.

    And all he could feel was dull inside, like something vital had been taken away. 

The last thing Specky expected to happen today was for Dot to suddenly appear in front of him. Well, second-to-last. What was _the_ last thing was for her to then say:  
   "I've changed my mind. I shouldn't have been that abrupt with you, and since I'm going out with Mouse tonight anyway, you wanna come with?"  
    "Yes. Yes I do."  
    "Can I come too?" asked Christopher, having eavesdropped.

    "Sure, why not?"  
    

Bob was feeling apprehensive, as you do in such circumstances. What untold horrors awaited him at Hex's, he had to wonder.

    Then he wondered: _Did I really just think "untold horrors awaited"? I gotta stop hanging around Mike._

    "Ah, there you are!" exclaimed Hex, appearing suddenly behind him. "I've been looking all over!"  
   "I'm standing outside the main exit."  
   "You are? Oh yes, so you are. Anyway…"  
   Bob nodded and prepared to call out his Zip-Board. Before he could, Hex had taken hold of his arms from behind him and started to fly upwards at an alarming speed.

    "AAAAARGH! I'M GOING TO DIE! I'M GOING TO… Actually, this is quite fun! YAHOOOOO!"  
    "Normally I fly to and fro at a slower speed, but I just have to get you all to myself as soon as possible!"  
    Bob had heard most of that, but was trying to pretend he hadn't and by the time they reached G-Prime, he'd forgotten the comment entirely.

   Hex's home was in a squat and ugly tower block near the heart of G-Prime. The outside looked like a normal residential building, if too grey; the inside was a complete mess. Graffiti, rubbish and rogue used condoms abounded, with an inquisitive Null peeking out from the refuse. Thankfully, Hex continued to hover along with Bob so neither of them had to come into contact with the floor.

   "And heeeeere we are!" 

   Hex threw open the door with a flourish and stood in a "come in" pose, one that oddly involved sticking her breasts out. The apartment itself was scruffy, with no-one seeming to have bothered doing much cleaning recently. Over in the corner, a chubby green Null was batting a ball around from inside a small cot.

    "Uh… Hex? Why have you got a nullified baby?"  
    "Oh, that's just Nibbles. Cute little fellow, isn't he?"  
    Nibbles turned to look at Bob, whining slightly as it did so. It did look quite cute, he had to admit, but getting stared at by something with no eyes was creepy as hell.

    "So, um… Let's see about dinner then, shall we?"  
   "Ooooo! Let's!" 

    Hex's mask had been one with a wide grin on its face for a while now. Could she be this happy just from Bob coming round? It was a little suspect.

   "OK, in the fridge we have… Some old bits of meat that is fossilising, mouldy cheese, miscellaneous vegetables and… a Pot Noodle?! Guh! What were you thinking when you bought that?"  
    "That would be daddy's."  
    "Does your dad have completely random taste buds? Don't answer that. Well, in order to eat something that won't unformat our stomachs, I'm going to the shops."  
    "I'll fly us there!"

    "No need, my Zip-Board's working fine-"  
    "I'll fly us there!"

    Well, if it made her happy. Off Bob went again, dangling from her. 

    Megabyte and his friend Chauncy were already coming up the stairs. Megabyte looked faintly surprised by Bob's being there, but greeted him with an genial "Hello" all the same.

    Once the two were out of earshot, he turned to Chauncy and said: "It appears my home isn't secure at present. We'll have to discuss it another time."  
    "Sir."  
    "While I think of it, tell the boys to find Mouse and get her to contact me. I think it's time we applied some pressure on that particular customer."

Mouse pressed herself against the wall and tried to quieten her breathing. Her pulse was rapid, her tension high. Slowly she reached for the weapon at her hip.

   "Gun. Targeting."

   She could see the figure ahead of her. And she could see the small targeting image appear on their back.

   The gun was raised.

   And a second gun poked her in the back and fired.

   "You- AUGH! Since when did you get so good at this game?"  
   Specky only grinned. Then suddenly he ducked behind Mouse as Mr Christopher turned and opened fire.

    "I'll never surrender! NEVER!"  
    Mouse reached down, picked him up and threw him out into the line of fire. It didn't take him long before he was out of the game too.

    "That's called revenge, sugah. Y'see, nobody messes with the Mouse."

    "You two are taking Laser Tag a bit too seriously," said Mr Christopher.

    "_Ah_ am? Have you seen Dot? She systematically took out everyone at the other half of the arena, and last Ah saw she was opening fire on the security cameras so The Enemy couldn't track her."  
    "She's got issues."  
    "You have no idea."

"Sooooo, Mr Raw Ham, ve meet again… but this time the advantage is MINE!"

    Down came the meat cleaver, slicing up the ham into manageable chunks before he dumped it into the pot to boil. 

    "No, Darth Carrots! You are NOT my father!"  
    Peel, peel, slice.

    Bob had come to realise that he indeed did spend too much time near Mike the TV. Still, it made the cooking more interesting, and the sounds of hardcore rock coming from Megabyte's room helped a lot. It also kept his mind off the fact that Hexadecimal was hovering nearby staring at him, her mask now showing a little smile. 

     "Burn, food! Burn within the water of boiling point! Moo hoo ha-"

     A huge steel claw grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him round to face a steel-toothed maw.

     "_Who the frag are you and what're you doin' in my house?!_"  
     "gng"

     "Oh, that's just Bob, daddy. He's a friend from school." Abruptly her mask transformed into a demonic snarl. "_So be nice to him or I'll fillet you!_"  
     "Shut up you freak," Kilobyte muttered, stalking off with his back in a permanent hunch. Standing nearby, having come in with him, was a red Data Sprite in what shall respectively be called 'loose' clothing, who seemed unnerved by the whole thing. 

      "Oh yeah, this is Melissa. She's eating with us tonight, clear? And tell your brother to stop playing that spam so loud!"  
     The old virus stalked off. Bob watched him go and remarked: "Holy Babbage, that guy scares me."  
     "Meh. He's just been drinking, he'll sober up soon."  
     This was how Hexadecimal and Megabyte lived? Bob was just stunned. But she didn't seem that troubled by any of it- but then, she was growing insane. Which her dad didn't seem to notice. Nobody noticed, apart from him.

      Desperately, Bob tried to find something to say or do to interrupt his train of thought. Luckily, Melissa provided one.

      "Your vegetables are boiling over."  
     "Augh!"

The four of them descended upon the karaoke bar like a descent of Sprites. 

-

Specky.

     "Do you really want to hurt me?/Do you really want to make me cry?'

-

Mouse.

     "Ah fought the law and- AH WON!/Ah fought the law and- AH WON!"

-

Mr Christopher, wearing a pair of shades.

     "All good things in life come free/But you can give them to the birds and bees/I want the money"

-

Dot, dancing wildly and snarling the lyrics out.

      "I'm a swooning bitch and I love to be it/my friends and I just love to me me me/All the time coz we think we're clever/so surreal/it just makes us feel clever"

The other three looked at each other.

    "Anyone else feel highly afraid by this?" asked Mouse.

    "Yes."  
    "Yes."  
    

The dinner had been served up and everybody was seated round the same table, eating away. Bob was feeling embarrassed by the whole thing, like an intruder.

    He could see Kilobyte tearing away at his food while his girlfriend leaned on him, her eyes vacant. He could see Megabyte eating with dignity and every time he looked towards his father, his gaze was full of loathing. He could see Hexadecimal eating away, humming tunelessly and changing her masks randomly. His gaze kept dropping to his food so he could stop seeing all this.

   "So," said Kilobyte, his voice a mechanised growl. "You're my daughter's boyfriend or something?"  
    There was a slight sound that could have been Megabyte stifling a laugh.

    "If you're knocking up my daughter, you better be using some spammed contraceptives. She gets pregnant or anything, I'll-"

    "If I'm _what_?!" That was a pretty horrifying conversation to find himself in, and Bob was aghast that the thing had even been raised.

     "Don't act all indignant on me, sonny. I know your sort. Just after a quick-"

     "MEGABYTE! Megabyte old buddy old pal, so how's things with you then?!"  
     The virus looked over Bob's way, a bored look on his face. "Oh, it's the same as always."  
     There was no help coming from that direction. Quickly he turned his attention to Hexadecimal. Who was smirking at him and posing herself in-

    He got up quickly. "Sorry, can I please be excused? I need to go to the toilet and… yeah…"  
    He ran off and Kilobyte snorted as he went.

    "He better be using those contraceptives."  
    "Oh, be nice!"

    Megabyte had gone back to his dignified eating. And as he ate, his mind repeated the same thing.

_     I will see you all dead._

     Over and over.

"Show me the way to go hoooooome…"

   The four staggered about drunkenly before collapsing in a heap, a surprising feat when you consider all of them were sober.

After about five nano's, Bob decided it was safe to leave the bathroom. He managed to get a few steps before Hexadecimal appeared in front of him, hands behind her back and an innocent smile on her face.

   "You've been gone for a while." Sad mask. "I got so lonely with you in hiding…" Back to smile. "But you're here now! Yay! So, let's go to my room!"  
   "Er, what's in there?"  
   "I did a painting of you," she said proudly.

   "Really?" That perked up his interest despite himself. "Well, let's go!"  
   Hex's bedroom was rather oddly fashioned. There had been an effort spent to make it seem more gothic, and so the faded and cracked walls were covered with red velvet drapes, the light was dim and an ornate throne-like chair sat in the corner. The effect was ruined by her stuff being all over the floor and her bedsheets having a pattern of brightly-coloured Nulls. 

    And all around, paintings. Paintings on easels, painting framed, paintings stacked, paintings on the floor. The virus threw herself into her art and it showed. 

    "Tada!" She pointed at her latest painting. "That was going to be an exact image but I suddenly wanted to change the hair, give you some scales, make you all shiny and armoured… I think it looks snazzy, don't you agree?"  
    He could see the corpses of classmates in the background of the painting.  
    "Yeah, it's pretty good," he lied. "You do ones of me a lot?"  
    Her mask shifted to a smirk. "Oh _yes_."

    Her voice was getting sultry. This didn't feel right.

    "So, er, anything else you want to show me?"  
    She didn't say anything. She was continued to smirk and began to walk towards him, slowly, slinking. And his heart began to beat faster and his blood began to heat and he was getting turned on and scared and mostly it was scared.

    And as with the smirk still on, she clicked his Icon and deactivated his clothing skin.

    And then did the same with hers.

    And then she was pressing against him and he had to push her away hard, and in his attempt to backspace he tripped and fell over.

    "NO! I- look, no, OK? I can't. I'm not. Just… just no."

    He reactivated the skin quickly, just to make his point. That… he hadn't expected that. Or rather, he had vaguely suspected it but had ignored it, hoping it wouldn't happen. 

    It had. And Hexadecimal just stood there, her mask the same before it quietly changed to its neutral form. But the eyes… the eyes had gone dark. Nobody home. 

    She sat at the end of the bed, her back turned towards him. 

    "I know what they all say about me," she said quietly.

    Dear User. This was not a conversation Bob had ever wanted to have, especially not now when he already felt guilty and scared and concerned all at once.

    "I'm not deaf or stupid. I can hear what they're saying. And I could just _kill every damn one of them_."  
    He couldn't see her mask but he could see her hand. It burned with flaming energy and her claws had come out. And as quickly as it had appeared, it went and she returned to her quiet tone as if nothing had happened.

    "But you, you were nice and kind and thoughtful and you talked to me and I could hear you defend me at times and I've seen you looking at my breasts at times. And I just thought-"

     He put his hand on her shoulder, mainly as he didn't know what else to do. 

     "I'm sorry. I should've realised and said something earlier instead of embarrassing you like this."

     "Is there really something wrong with me?"

     "No. It's not your fault, Hex. I- look, I do find you attractive but… I love Dot. That's not your fault or… Look, don't think there's something wrong with you or that people are right in calling you a freak, OK? Don't do that."  
    Hex didn't speak for a while after that. Her mask remained the same and she was giving no sign that she was even still conscious. Bob didn't know what to do. She'd been hit hard and with her problems- was she afraid he hated her or something? Was she likely to turn suicidal or violent?  
    He didn't know what to do. He knew nothing about any of this.

    So he just followed instinct and he put his arms around her. 

    A few nanoseconds later and her head was resting against his shoulder.

    He told himself that he'd stop soon, that he had to get home. She could tell from this that he wasn't abandoning her, he wouldn't have to keep it up for much longer, surely?  
    But he didn't want to risk it. And soon both of them had fallen asleep, neither moving. And where Bob's sleep was troubled from all this, Hexadecimal was calm and contented.

   The group had headed their separate ways home, and Mouse walked alone through G-Prime. Not that she was worried about being on her own- nobody messed with her. The pepper spray saw to that.

    She was slightly surprised to come across Chauncy here, especially when he told her to call Megabyte. She shrugged and punched up a Vid-Window. It was probably times of the next batch of GIGO.

     "Hey, sugah! Ah wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon after the last lot."  
     "Ah well, I have some good news for you." His voice was quiet; nobody could hear unless they were close to the Window. "I have some leftover… merchandise. I thought you might be interested."

     "Thanks big guy, but Ah'm happy with what Ah got."  
     The virus sighed. "Very well, allow me to make myself blunt. You are going to buy more of the product. You are going to do it now. If you don't do this… well, I'm sure the relevant authorities will be highly interested in your purchasing and consuming such an illegal product."  
    She grinned. It was a weak grin, formed from desperation. "What is this? You can't do that, you'd-"

    "I'd be found out myself? My dear Mouse, you think I don't have alibis? All the authorities need to do is search you and your abode for GIGO, and perform some tests. Believe me, those tests won't link back to me. They will prove enough evidence to earn you a short spell in jail and complete expulsion from school. Bye bye, future and ambitions."  
     She didn't reply this time.

     "In addition to that, I can make it rather… lethal for you to ever try entering G-Prime again. If you value your future and your health, I would really advise making this purchase."  
     "I can't believe you're doing this," she whispered.

     "Oh? What exactly did you think you were dealing with? Did you forget I was a virus? Did you really think that I was trading a drug out of pure altruition?" A drop window appeared underneath the Vid-Window. "The money, please."

    The exchange took place. Megabyte counted through the money and nodded with satisfaction.

    "That's it, OK? I ain't takin' any more of this."

    "Oh really? We will have to see about that. Won't we, _sugar_?"

    The Window closed.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Dot is singing "Split Into Fractions" by Curve. And yes, Melissa is a homage to the fics of Kim McFarland.

-


	4. The ConnectionOriented

**BYTE FOUR: THE CONNECTION-ORIENTED**

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Bob briefly wondered where his bedsheets were before remembering where he was.

   If you'd told him several days ago that he'd wake up in Hexadecimal's room with her sleeping form lying against him, he'd have backed away very quickly in fear of your madness. Now…

    To be frank, he was wondering what he'd been thinking. His parents were going to kill him. Probably with an interociter.

    Sod it. Hex needed a friend and she needed help. This had been the only way he could think of at the time in which he could provide help. His only other option would have been to just leave her and he would never do that. Could never do that.

     You don't abandon your friends. You don't do that.

      "Hex?" he said gently. "Hex? We've got school and stuff, you should probably wake up now."  
     "Mbl?" A groggy mask with little z's coming from its mouth appeared on her face. "What time is it?"  
     "No clue. Can't reach my watch in this position."  
     "Well then-" Brief yawn, rub eyes. "Should probably get up." Pause. "Bob? Why are you in my room?"  
      She sounded genuinely puzzled. It was worrying. She quickly remembered what had happened but still… it was worrying.   
       "Hmmmm, well, I suppose we should go eat and- OOOOO! BREAKFAST! TOAST!"

      "…you can _not_ be this perky so early. It's just wrong."  
      "But it's toast! TOAST! Nummy!"  
      And off he was dragged to eat toast and have Nibbles steal the crusts.

Mouse had woken up. She wished she hadn't. She didn't want to go into school.

    She'd run into Megabyte. She knew it. And she couldn't handle that, not this soon after…. just After. She couldn't do it.

     Mouse's parent's were often out for most of the day and something for several days. She'd hated that when she was younger but right now it was good. No-one to make her go in. She'd just call in sick, that's it. Call in sick.

     She took two GIGO pills. Normally she only had one at a time.

      There was nothing wrong with taking two this time, she told herself. Nothing wrong at all.

Gavin woke up in a room decorated with posters of pirate, stacked with books about pirates and a few model pirate ships. Many of his clothing skins had pirate motifs on them, and his door had "ARRRR, HERE BE MONSTERS" written on it.

    Obsessed? You bet.

Bob could really get used to having Hexadecimal fly him into school. Much more fun than Zip-Boarding!

    "And where shalt we two meet again?"  
    "Well, we're both here all day today."  
    "Well, yes, but apart from that?" Hexadecimal suddenly changed her mask to its joyous form and walked off, evidently having changed her mind suddenly. "Ta ta!"

     Bob watched her go, then turned to Megabyte and shrugged. "Well, what can we do?"  
    "She isn't heavy, Bob. She's my sister."  
    "That's a really bad joke there, Meggy."  
    "I know. I just could not resist. Oh well, see you in Midi class then."

    Bob smiled slightly as the virus walked off. Despite his home life and the problems he must have with his sister, Megabyte really was a great guy.  
   

-

Dot had arrived before her brothers this time, so she was on her own when she was Bob arrive with Hex. Which he wouldn't be doing unless he'd stayed overnight. Which could mean-

    She was getting fed up with this. Every time she came to the idea of Bob and Hexadecimal, she'd feel hollow inside. Like she was losing something. She felt like a character from a crappy soap opera and it was starting to tick her off. So maybe, _maybe_, something was going on between Bob and Hexadecimal. She could handle it.

     _No I can't._

_     Spam it._

     Bob was walking over and waving, so she forced herself into a smile.

    "Bob!" she said, her voice unnaturally high. Inwardly, she winced. "Coming in with Hex? That's… that's new."  
     He blushed slightly. "Ah. Yes. I, kind of stayed over and…" These was a brief pause and then he jumped back. "Not in a sexual way! No! Definitely not! Nooooo way! No. Aheh."  
     And that just made everything more awkward. Finally, Dot managed to speak again.

    "So, uh, what where you doing-"

    "I don't really want to talk about it."  
    "Fine. So. How're things with you in general?"  
    They chatted away quite happily once the subject had changed from the virus, but Dot kept thinking about it. Mainly she thought about his reaction to the idea of sex with the virus. He'd panicked. Which could mean it had happened and he was trying, badly, to cover it up.

     More likely nothing had happened and he was worried she'd think it had. Was that because he'd find it embarrassing or because he wanted her instead?  
     So. Maybe she was still in with a chance.

     And if she was, it was time to stop taking too long. Time to get organised, focus on the goal and achieve it. Time to stop being a cliché soap opera character and be Dot fragging Matrix.

The pirates would oft meet up briefly before lessons started.

    They weren't in the normal place. Again, Capacitor was having them meet somewhere else and hadn't told Christopher.

     He didn't know why this was happening. But he was getting pissed off about it.

It rose up, a vast robotic purple mantis, and it slammed its great claw into the ground in front of Bakkup.

   Say whatever you like about their virus Gym teacher, he was great at keeping everyone's mind on the class.

    "_Nnnnn_all right," he snarled, his voice starting every sentence with a growl. "_Nnnnn_soon we will have our next inter-System Pong match. _Nnnnn_and I tell you this now- I will not suffer failure! _Nnnnnn_we will win! _Nnnnn_understand?!"

    "YES SIR YOUR FUNNY-VOICED-SHIP!" bellowed Hack and Slash, whipping off salutes.

    For that, the Pong team were drilled harder than the Gym teacher had initially planned.

       "That which does not kill us can only make us stronger," said Phong after being hit for the third time with a Pong ball.

       "Is that true?" asked Turbo.

       "I have no idea, my brother."  
       "Again?"

"Hello Dot! What a delightful occurrence."   
    Dot looked away, grinning. "You always are the charmer, Megabyte."  
    "Indeed. You seem to be in a bit of a… hurry, let's say?"  
    "I'm trying to find Bob. You seen him?"  
    "Oh, not since this morning. Tell me Ms. Matrix- do you have any plans for tonight?"  
    That had been unexpected. She was starting to feel nervous again, losing focus. Yes she'd always harboured an attraction towards the virus but now he makes his move? Now when she'd finally made a decision in favour of Bob?

    "I… I can't. I'm sorry."

    Megabyte sighed. "I suppose I have left it… too late. But I have to say that Bob, and I assume it is Bob your affections are turning to, is more interested in my dear sister."  
    "I don't think he is."  
    "Oh? He spent a long time in her room last night-"

    "_I trust him, Megabyte._"

    He almost flinched at the steely tone in her voice.

    "I'm sorry, I'm talking out of place. My offer's always open but I will bow out graciously."

    And he walked off. Dot allowed herself to breathe out in relief.

    "OK," she said to herself. "That wasn't so difficult. Nothing to it."

-

Megabyte kept his usual calm demeanour outwardly, but inside he was seething. She dared to turn him down for that idiot? Oh, she would pay for that. The relationship would crumble eventually, those two just wouldn't fit together well. He could wait until it did, move in to take advantage…

    And then she'd suffer.

    He'd hook her onto GIGO like he had planned. He'd make her utterly dependent on him. Then he'd go about giving her a deserving punishment. And oh, did he have _plans_ for that.

    He wondered vaguely what was for lunch.

"You, woman, are in violation of Code 17a of the Toxic Waste Handling Laws!" screamed an indignant Mike.  
   "Shut up and take your food," growled the lunch lady.

    "Yes ma'am."

Lunch was nearly over, and Christopher had finally caught up with Gavin. The rest of the gang had left- it was just the two of them. Good.

    "What are you doing?" The Binome was shaking as he faced his old friend. "Tell me. I'd really like to know, 'captain'."  
     Gavin stayed silent. He was looking down at the floor, unable to meet Christopher's glare.

     "Why are you trying to push me out? You didn't give any reason, you just started to go out of your way to avoid me and have the whole gang avoid me and you didn't even tell me what I'd done!"

    "You haven't done anything." He wasn't attempting his usual bluster this time. "I just… Look at yourself. You've still got the bruise from when we got jumped in G-Prime. You went down so soon into the fight, not putting up any sort of defence. You could have been seriously hurt. And that sort of thing may happen again and you may come off worse next time.

    "And I shouldn't have brought you into the gang in the first place. You're too good for it. You have- you have skills, you could easily get some great job at a top business. If you stay with us, the best you'll get is maybe being an accountant on a low-profit nautical trading company. That's a waste. And you've never wanted that.

    "I can't have you in the gang anymore or anywhere near me because it puts you in danger and ruins your future."  
    That hadn't been an answer Christopher had expected. He paused for a moment before speaking.

    And his voice was angry.

    "I _know_ it's not the best I can do and I know it's dangerous, and I knew that from the spammed start and I went along with it anyway because it's _my_ decision and I'd decided _that I was going to stick by my mate_!"

     He stood there, breathing heavily after his outburst, and Gavin stared at him in shock. He closed his mouth and had to choke something back before he could speak again.

     "I've been an idiot. You- you're too good to me."

     Christopher managed a small grin. "We're all going to Level 31 again tonight?"  
    "Of course. Can't let the blaggards win now can we?"

    "No."  
  


"OK," said Turbo, his gaze surveying the assembled Pong team. "We need ta be ready for the big game. We need to put in more practise. We need to focus. We need- Phong!"  
    "I have to go meet Daemon, my brother. We have class now."  
    "So, getting some good nookie there?"

    "Why would I be getting a transaction ID from her, and why would it be good?"

    "That's a cook… Ah, forget it."

    The truth was that Phong knew exactly what Turbo had meant for once. He just wanted to be annoying.

"Nananananaaaaaa, I can't remember the lyriiiiiics, nanana-"

   "Bob."  
   The sound of Dot's voice brought a halt to his singing immediately, to the joy of everyone within earshot.

    "Hey Dot! Didn't expect to see you this near to the end of lunch."  
    "Yes. Well. Er…"  
    She was getting flustered again. She was going to crash this whole thing, she was going to crash so-

    Quickly she tried thinking of the task as if it were the negotiations for a company merger. Calmness was restored.

    "Bob- are you free tonight?"  
    "_ngn_"

     "I was just wondering if you'd be interested in a date or something…"  
     "_ngn_"  
    It appeared that the other company suffered from communication problems. And was turning purple and trying to cover his nether-regions.

     "Er, are you OK."

     "YES! I'M FREE AND DATE-WORTHY AND EVERYTHING'S ALPHANUMERIC AND I HAVE TO GO NOW!"

     And he ran off.

     _Well_, she thought,_ that was unex- actually, it was completely expected. _

And lessons ended and school closed and the students were allowed to run wild and free for the afternoon.

    Bob and Dot ended up in Al's Diner for their first date. It was not the most romantic or student-friendly places, but Dot owned shares in it and so they gave her half-price Energy Shakes.

   The two of them ended up staring awkwardly past each other a lot, and babbling about inconsequential stuff. Occasionally she'd clean her glasses even if they didn't need cleaning and he'd scratch the back of his head. There was a lot of coughing and non-meeting of gaze.

    Both of them had often fantasized about dating each other. These fantasises had consisted of both of them wowing the other with their wit, charm and intelligence. They'd be in romantic venues and would probably involve dancing in some way. And after that, their fantasies had consisted of sex. Lots of it.

     This was not what they'd had in mind.

     On their way out of Al's, there was an awkward attempt at kissing. Both were too nervous to make much of it and mutual blushing commenced afterwards.

      And off they went home, where Bob had to face angry demands of where he'd been last night and what time he called this. A few microseconds of facing the music, and off he went to bed.

      His dreams consisted of Dot and the glorious second date they'd have, how he'd be all suave and wit-filled, and how there'd be sex involved somehow. It was a nice dream, marred only by the sudden appearance of synchronised swimming Nulls near the end of it.

And as the night went on, Mouse took another pill.

-


	5. Incoming Game

**BYTE FIVE: INCOMING GAME**

There were big things coming- the big school concert, with Midi, Dance and Drama students all on show (Cyrus had been practising for weeks) and, much sooner, a big Pong game between Mainframe High and a challenging System.

    And cheerleaders had practised their cheers and the Pong players had practised until their diodes were sore all down their left side, and finally the day was upon them.

    Lunch came and Mainframe High watched with interest as the competing team arrived for the match. All except Bob and Dot, who'd sneaked off for attempted romantic stuff and instead were fumbling through it so badly that they couldn't even make small talk. They had to head back to lunch soon in mutual embarrassment.

    "Maybe," said Bob, before lapsing into silence. Then again. "Maybe we should, er, put this whole thing into a wait-state until-"

    "**No.**"  
    "Agreed."

   And as they entered the lunch hall, they discovered that the opposing Pong team had arrived and was dominating a table. The lead member, a golden-skinned Data Sprite, stood up and gave a salute.

    "Greetings," he said. "My name… is Robert… Cursor. Pleased to… meet you." He studied their expressions. "I'm… sorry, I have… a… speech imped…iment."

     "Ah, Shatnerism," said Bob. "My cousin used to have that."

     "It's a… real… pisser."

-

Turbo and the other Pong team members glared over at the competitor's table.

    "Can't believe those two," muttered Hardboot. "Fraternising with the enemy."

    "My dear Hardboot, we're not at war with their System or anything," said Megabyte.

    "Not at war?" snorted Turbo. "This is inter-System team Pong. This is _all-out_ war."

    "And in war, you keep your friends close… but your enemies closer," said Phong.

    There was a slight pause.

    "So, they're not betraying us to the enemy then?" asked Hardboot.

    "I… have no idea, I wasn't paying attention to most of the conversation."

Lunch was over and the Pong match was ready to start within a millisecond. The Midi teacher Dire Sal thought this would be a good time to hold a practise for the upcoming concert. He was wrong.

    "THAT WAS THE WORST RUN-THROUGH OF THIS TIME, IN THIS NET! THERE IS NO USER!"  
    "Not as bad as a Dire Straights song," muttered someone from the back.

    "SHUT UP!" bellowed the stock, primitively-rendered Sprite. He hadn't used to be this short-tempered but he'd suffered hours of abuse over his former career in the music industry. "I don't care how distracted everyone is about the big game, we're going to keep doing this run-through of the System Anthem until you GET IT RIGHT! REPLAY!"

    Eventually, even Sal had to give up on the main piece and get the individual acts to practise. The guitar pieces were coming along well, even if Bob and Megabyte had a tendency to dominate them, and Cyrus' dancing still stole the show. Daemon's solo work on hymns brought the house down, especially her Swing Low Sweet Careware.

    Eventually the class got dismissed so Sal could go off and drown his sorrows.

    "This is really coming along good," said Bob to Megabyte. "A few more seconds practise and we'll rock the house!"  
    _Irritating little twit_. "Indeed. Our piece sounds rather like the Unix Pistol's later work, I'd say."  
    "I wouldn't know. I'm more into eighties rock myself."  
    "Oh dear. That just won't do."

    "Don't you have better things to worry about than my taste in music? Like, y'know, the big Pong match in thirty nanos?"  
    "Oh, we all know we'll win. The opposition's chances will be erased the moment Phong arrives."  
    "This is true."

    The two of them stepped aside to let Cyrus past. Dedicated to his craft, he danced his way down the corridor in a mix of classical ballet and interpretive dance. Bob had no choice but to clap this gloriousness.

     Megabyte just sighed. He was getting fed up with the Binome. He was part of Megabyte's gang and appeared loyal, but with Cyrus he couldn't tell if it was sincere or just an act. You couldn't tell if anything Cyrus did was sincere or just an act. Since the Viral gang relied on secrecy and loyalty, this was a concern.

     Maybe he should get Cyrus onto GIGO as well. Addiction would keep him loyal.

     He should also tell Bob to stop singing. Guitar skills or not, his vocal talents were non-existent.

    "Bob, stop singing. Guitar skills or none, your vocal talents were non-existent."  
   "Bah!"

The school playing field was full of spectators as everyone waited for the game to begin. The cheerleaders had arrived but their routine was being disrupted as Hexadecimal tried to join in.

    "Mainframe High! Go fight win win win! Because if you lose, _I'll kill you_!"

    "Say what you will about Hex," said Dot, "she's a great motivator."  
    "This is true," said Bob.

    "So. Er."  
    "Erm."

    "…"

    "…So, how did you get those shares in Al's?"  
    "Well-"

    "She asked Dad for some shares for her thirteenth birthday," interrupted Enzo. "He bought her some in a few random companies, and she's since sold most of them to get the money to buy a 15% interest in Al's."  
    "Really? That's something."  
    "My eventual goal is to get 50% shares," said Dot. "From there, the Net's my oyster. I can convince Al to finance the opening of a second diner in Baudway, thus netting a new market segment. From there I can set up a small company of food service outlets, maybe do some vertical integration by buying out a supplier or two, get full control of Al's when he retires and _then_ I start building a brand outside of Mainframe and _then_ I start diversifying…"  
     "You've got a scary mind, Dot."  
     "You better believe it."  
     "

-

"Commentating live from Mainframe High, your reporter MMMMMMIKE THE TV!

   "Coming out now it's the Mainframer team! That's Turbo, Bakkup, Hardboot, Megabyte, Five, Hack, Slash, Jeff and the one, the only PHONGGGGGGGG!"

    There was a huge uproar as Phong trundled onto the field. The Sprite looked behind him, not getting they were for him.

    In the changing rooms, the opposing System were having problems as Powerlock continued his daily rantings.

    "I can't believe you were actin' nice round those Mainframers! They're the enemy remember? We-"

    "Powerlock… shut up you… ass."

    "This is because I'm a viral, isn't it you bigot?!"  
    "No, it's because you're an ass," said E-Mail.

    "I'm warning you…"  
    A tired Spectral hovered nearby, wondering what he'd done to be stuck with such a bunch of stereotypes.

This is how Team Pong is played:

    Nine Sprites on each time. Each Sprite is in a walled-off arena, attached to one wall and having to bat the Pong puck around with their arms, with the aim of hitting the opponents' wall and scoring a point. Just like normal Pong. However, in Team Pong you can teleport the Pong puck to another member of your team in a different arena, and the teams remain in radio contact that the opposition can't hear. The players not only have to be good at Pong, they also have to be good at working together, good at following orders, good at quick strategising and good at reacting quickly when the Pong puck suddenly materialises in front of you.

     This isn't for amateurs.

     "And there they gooooooooo! Turbo and Cursor are batting that puck around- they're returning each shot with a vengeance, they're hammering that puck without mercy! This is terrible ladies and gentlemen- _how much more can that poor puck take_?! They're too evenly matched, the yin-yang of… puck batting stuff! Turbo to Cursor, Turbo to Cursor, Turb-  
    "AND IT'S TELEPORTED! Bakkup has the puck, _go on my son_! He's whacking it towards Multi-Mate and blocked and sent back and Bakkup has failed to save and it's a GOOOOOAAAALLLLLL! One-nil for Selective! One-niiiilllll to Selective!"

     The first four goals, and both teams had two apiece. If you were smart (or listened to Mike's blather), you'd notice how nobody had sent the puck to Phong yet. This was a tactic to make the Selective not notice him, underestimate him.

    When he got the puck, he was a demon with it. Three goals resulted before his Spectral opponent was able to grasp what he was up against, and quickly teleport the puck to Powerlock.

    "And it's a grand slam! Slam-dunk against Megabyte, another goal to the Selective! That leaves it Five-Three in Mainframe's favour! Can the opposition make up that before time runs out?!"  
    Yes. As the time of play neared the end, the Selective had gotten the score to a draw, seven-all.

     This was the final round. Whoever won this would win the game.

     It was a tense situation.

     So when Hack got the puck, he screamed and teleported it to Slash.

     He screamed and teleported it right back.

     And this back-and-forth continued for a while, confusing their opponents.

     "I don't want it!"  
     "Me neither!"  
     Eventually Slash just wailed and teleported it away to a random person. The puck appeared in Phong's hands, causing him to blink.

     And then he slammed the puck in a ricochet manoeuvre, bouncing quickly off the walls until it reached the Spectral's corner and scored.

     "And with just three nanoseconds to spare, Phong has won the match! All is well with the cosmos! This is just the beginning of the PLANET OF THE APES!"  
     Mike's microphone was thankfully disconnected.

Both teams got changed out of their sweat-sodden Pong slacks and left the locker room, chattering away excitedly about the great game. Both victor and loser were off the opinion that this called for beer.

    Daemon was waiting for Phong as he excited, hands behind her back and a smile on her face.

   "I was watching. You did really well out there."  
   "We all do what we must, my love. And some of us must smack pucks around to whomp other's at their favourite game."  
    She giggled slightly. "Come on, let's-"

    "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"  
    All turned towards the enraged Powerlock, who was glaring down at E-Mail and Hack.

    "I was talking to these guys about how well they play-"

    "They were the ones beating our ASCII, you chump! What the hell are you thinking of?!"  
    "Powerlock! At… ease!"  
    "Get out of my face Cursor! I'm warning you!"  
    "_ahem_. What is the problem?" asked Daemon.

    "And _you_ stay out of this, girlie!"  
    "Excuse me?"

    "You heard!"  
    "Yes but I am not understanding what all this is about? What is all this shouting? We don't want trouble here."  
    Powerlock sneered. "Look, you may have a nice rack and everything-"

    Daemon's usually tranquil face hardened at that.

    "-but stay outta my face, unless you're planning to stri-"

    Wham.

    And down Powerlock went, nose broken and an imprint of Daemon's fist on his face.

    His team broke out into applause, cheered, punched the air and hugged each other.

"That game was totally alphanumeric! Pixellacious! High density!"

    "You said it Bob!" said Enzo.

    Dot and Mouse watched the two boys walk on ahead. Dot turned over to her friend and gave a bemused shrug.

    "Ah, boys'll be boys. Can't stop that, sugah."  
    "Yeah, I know. Still, they could at least come up with some better expressions. Nobody says pixellacious who wasn't around in the IBM days."  
     "Heh. So, honey, what's this I hear about you and Bob being an item?" Mouse smirked. "Oh my, where _did_ that sudden blush come from?"  
     "Thank you for this line of conversation," muttered Dot. "Just what I needed, oh yes…"  
     "Don't you like talkin' about it?"  
     "It's not that. It's just that it's really awkward at the moment."

     "Ah, that happens. You'll get over it. Well, in theory anyway, you're probably going to be like this until your breasts get saggy-"  
     "AUGH! MOUSE!" She shook her head in disgust, trying to remove the mental images. "And here I hoped that you'd spend your day bunking off _not_ thinking of ways to torment me."

     Mouse's smile froze for a second, became fake. Then back to normal. "Now who do you think Ah am, sugah?"  
     "A friend? And friends don't torment each other…"  
     "Ha! What System are _you_ livin' in, honey?"

     "The one where Charles Babbage, Norton, the User and the Easter Buggy all get together for tea parties. It's got a pink sky and everything."  
     "The truth comes out, Dot."

Level 31. Al's Diner.

    They'd been raided here by brigands unknown. But that wouldn't stop them. They'd placed an order for slow food and the Pirates were going to _get_ that slow food.

    "Here you go! The doubloons in return for those provisions!"  
    Al's Waiter was not even fazed by this. You spend time serving Rasta Mon, you get used to funny-speaking people.

    "Cap'n!" barked Sally urgently. "I can see one of them. He's waiting outside this tavern…"  
    "Good work, helmsman. Now, let's deal with this…"  
  
-

Cyrus had done something to tick Megabyte off, so he gets stuck with watching to make sure the Pirates weren't going into G-Prime again. They were, which was odd- did they like beatings? Ah well. Not his problem.

    He'd call Megabyte and tell him where they were and how many were there. Along would come the rest of the gang, the Pirates would get the message, and as long as he was on the door they couldn't leave without him knowing.

     Al's, of course, had a back door that Cyrus wasn't watching.

     He realised this when Norton and Jimmy knocked him out, stole his boots and stuck a miniature Jolly Roger on him.

     They couldn't tell who he was under all his viral gear- it was almost Kubrickian like that. But they knew that by doing this, they were sending a message. That message being: Do not frag with us.

      Arrr.


	6. Format

**BYTE SIX: FORMAT**

There was a great horror approaching for Bob. It was called The Day Reports Are Handed Out. And the last thing he ever wanted his parents seeing was his report for Mechanics because then they'd realise how he was really doing in that subject.

    This would be bad at any time. Now, it would be devastating. His parents had not forgotten how he'd spent the whole night at Hexadecimal's without telling them. There had been Words the day after it.

      That was where Mouse and her great forging abilities came in handy. But when it came to Mouse, there was always the possibility that she wouldn't come in to school that day. So here Bob stood, waging a silent vigil until her arrival.

     "She _is_ coming in today," said Dot.

     "You've only got her word for that! Trust no-one! They want to cover up who Number One is!"  
     "Mike? Shut up."

     "Hate to say it but I'm with Mike on this," said Bob. "And that's not a normal state of affairs, y'know."  
    Dot sighed and shook her head. "If you ask me, you should've just dropped Mechanics cycles ago."  
    "Ha! My parents would never go for that, they're obsessed with me going into the family business."

    "Mine too," said Mike.

    "Really? What do they do?"  
    "Work in TV."  
    "But you _want_ to work in TV!"  
    "It's the principle of the thing!"  
    "Look, Mouse is approaching the school now," said Dot, pointing to her. "Now can you give up the vigil?"  
    "No! It could be an alias! Or an illusion! Or-"

    "Remind me again why I go out with you."  
    "I've got a great body."  
    "True, true."

Lessons came and went, as lessons are wont to do. Mechanics lessons came and went with much damage, tears and recriminations being caused by Bob's ineptitude, which 'Old Man' Pearson had much fun pointing out on the way out to lunch.

    "Are ye daft, lad? You don't put a turbo-lock into the initiator! It causes untold damage, ye southern git!"  
    "I know, I know…"  
    "No ye don't. Ye keep ruddy doing it! That's the third bleeding time in a row!"  
    This went on for a while.

 "I don't take kindly to failure, Cyrus."  
    He couldn't meet the virus's glare. "I didn't know Al's had a-"

    "Silence, you fool! You should have been more prepared. You should have actually put up a _fight_. Now Capacitor and his little group will think we can be beaten easily. They won't be scared away from G-Prime. We'll clash with them again. All because you couldn't perform a simple reconnaissance task. Just… get out of my sight."

      Cyrus ran from the bike shed, desperate to reach the safety of a crowd. Joining Megabyte's gang had seemed a good idea at the time but now he was in, he couldn't get out. And he hadn't expected things to be like this.

      Sure, yes, he'd known early on that the gang would hurt people and generally do criminal acts. That wasn't what he was worried about. What he was worried about is that now it seemed likely he might get hurt, or found out. He'd thought he'd be generally _safe_. Instead he stood to lose everything if he stayed in the gang and stood to lose everything if he left it because Megabyte had the dirt on him now and he'd _use_ it.

    Still, could be worse. He could be one of the basics who got their GIGO fix off Megabyte.

    Speaking of which, there went Mouse. Heading for the bike sheds with a grim expression on her face. Yep, however bad he had it, he could take solace in the fact she had it worse.

-

"Ah, Mouse! How nice of you to drop in."  
     "You don't have to mock me," she muttered.

     "I know I don't. It's just really rather _gratifying_." He tipped three pills from one container into a smaller one, and handed it to Mouse. "Twenty creds, if you please."  
     She stiffened. "It's _ten_."  
     "If you feel the price hike is too high, you could just not buy the product." He smiled. "If you don't mind the consequences."  
     "Bastard."  
     "Yes, yes, yes. The money, if you please."  
     She folded. She didn't have much of a choice. And as the enormity of the situation hit her again, all she could do was stare at the GIGO pills.

      She shouldn't take them now. Not at school. She could be caught or do something stupid.

      She shouldn't take them now.

      She took one.

 Bob had heard from Dot that some of the Business Studies students were weird but he'd never expected to find them congregated in a huddle, Gavin Capacitor and Dot standing in the centre, and playing a funky rap track from a CD player while Dot & Gavin swayed in time to the music.

     "Arrrr, yo. Arrr- _solutions for working in a market that has accrued depreciation of upgrades and possible future market flux!_"

     "Sell in bulk and at discount to low-grade Systems and initiate a policy of diversification!"  
     A large cry of approval went up from the massed students.

     Dot grinned and continued to sway. "Right, yo. Yo. Y- _threat of exchange rates and interest rates that make foreign products/services cheaper than yours!_"  
      "Find ways to lower unit costs to lower price while maintaining profit level or just lower price and take less profits if firm has price-inelastic goods! No, I mean price elastic goods! …arrrr, blast it mateys!"  
      A groan went through the group and they began to disperse. Dot was undoubtedly the winner.

      "Hey, Dot! I didn't know you were into… whatever that was."  
      "Normal revision techniques are for wimps," she said. "To lunch?"  
      "To lunch!"

Hexadecimal wandered about school in a slight daze. She could vaguely hear the comments made behind her back and notice the looks she was getting, but they did not register in her mind.

    She wasn't quite sure what she'd been doing for the last hour. Ah well. Couldn't have been that important then.

     And there was Bob! Bob!

     _Why was he with that other girl?_  
     Oh. Dot. She remembered what he'd said about Dot.

     "Hex! Hi!" Bob waved at her. "How're you doing?"  
     As she watched, a halo appeared above his head. Orange and glowing. It grew, covering his body within nanoseconds and his whole form glowed orange.

     It was very beautiful.

-

Hex was just standing there, her mask a wistful smile.

    "Hex?" Bob frowned. "Hex? Uh, see you later, I guess."  
    "Does she normally do that?" asked Dot once they were out of her earshot.

    "She's always slightly random but… she's never just zoned out like that before. I dunno what she thought she was looking at."  
    "Gave me the jaggies."

    "So, what happened in class this morning?" he asked, wanting to change the subject. He didn't want to think about the implications of what the virus had done.   
    "We've got up to Worms in Biology. Sweet User, those things are ugly."

     There was a lot of chatting about various things, and they met up with the old crowd of Enzo, Matrix and so on.

      At some point, Bon realised that Mouse wasn't going to be showing up. This was troubling. Report Files were able to be picked up by students during Lunch Break so they could read them before their parents; this allowed Bob to get Mouse to alter his Mechanics report. But if she didn't show up soon, he'd be unable to do it. And his parents would read an unaltered report and then-

     He turned to a passing Binome. "Help me, please! Do you know where Mouse is?! Purple skin, hair looks like it's radioactive-"

    "Oh, her," said Brenda the biker Binome. "Didn't you hear? Got sick, threw up, was sent home. Probably nerves or something."

     "I see. Thank you."

     Bob was in the spam.

It took him a while to pluck up the courage. Finally, Bob opened the door to his home and went in.

    His parents were waiting for him. They did not look happy.

    "You lied to us," his dad said.

    Bob stayed quiet.

    "You've obviously been altering your older reports. You lied to us and you've been failing Mechanics."  
     Still quiet.

     "Answer me, damn it!"  
     "Yes."  
     "I thought we raised you better than that."  
     "Are you even _trying_ in class?" asked his mother.

     "How can you ask me that?! Of course I-"

     "It doesn't look like you try."

     "I'm not very good at it, all right, but that doesn't mean I'm not trying!"

     "Bull." His father finally moved towards him, looking almost like he wanted to hit him. "You're not trying. This is your only shot at getting a job and you're screwing it up!" He gestured around the room. "Do you just plan to scrounge off of us for the rest of your life?"  
      "Wha- just because I'm not going to be a mechanic doesn't mean I can't get a job!"  
     "Oh, get real Bob!" he yelled. "The only chance you had was at taking over the family business but that wasn't good enough for you, was it? You had to keep your head in the clouds and get ideas above your format-"

    He didn't want to accept the implications of this. He chose denial. "What are you saying?"  
    "We're saying that you have unrealistic expectations," said his mother. "You're a low format and you don't have the skills or functions to achieve all you want. It happens to people."  
    "And the only job you could get you've thrown away because you didn't try, and now what do you plan on doing?"  
    So that was the way it was. That was the reason they wanted him to follow in the family business. This was what they thought of him.

    Frag that.

    He couldn't, _wouldn't_, accept that.

    "What I plan on doing," he said slowly, "is not listening to another word of this crap."  
   "_What did you_-"

   "Shut up."

   His father looked at him, eye to eye, glare to glare. And his expression set itself.

   "You're not thinking clearly at the moment. Now I'll tell you this just once- if you walk out, don't even think about coming back."  
    And Bob found himself giving the same grin he'd seen on Hexadecimal so many times.

    "That just suits me fine."

-

After taking a few steps around Kits, his arms laden with his stuff that he'd packed into cases before leaning and with no idea of where he was going to go, it struck him how basic he'd been.

     "Nice plan, Bob. And you're going to stay… where, exactly?"  
     He had other family members in Mainframe but it wasn't likely that he'd have much luck there. He didn't know them that well and they'd side with his parents on this. Going back to his parents would be the most sensible bet but considering he'd just stormed out in defiance over their faith in him, he'd feel a bit of a prat.

     An idea came to him, and it wasn't much better than his idea to storm out.

    Ah well. He didn't have many other options

"Enzo, please stop Friskett from trying to eat my work notes," despaired Welman Matrix

    The dog was dragged away from the office, whining all the way.

    "C'mon boy, you know you're not supposed to eat people's stuff! Remember when you ate Matrix's trainers and core-dumped all over the floor?" Enzo thought for a moment and then grinned. "That was alphanumeric!"  
     Friskett suddenly turned his head towards the door and began growling, just a few nanoseconds before the doorbell rang. Enzo groaned; it was probably Daemon doing her User's Witness thing. That always resulted in cycles of philosophical and religious debate between her and dad, which always delayed the dinner.

    He opened the door and found Bob standing there with bulky cases and puppy-dog eyes.

   "Help."

   A nano later, Enzo hesitantly called over to the office: "Uh, dad? Bob's having problems at home and just showed up. Can he stay here?"  
    "Hmmm? Oh, sure, sure," said Welman in the voice of a man who was not listening. A few nanoseconds passed before he said "Wait, who's doing what now?!"

-

Welman soon agreed to it (this time knowing what was going on) and Bob found himself getting a grilling from the Matrix family.

    "Your parents really said all that?" Matrix shook his head. "You're better off out of there, Bob But why'd you come here?"  
    "Only place I could think of. Well, I thought of going to Hex's but-"  
    "You'd go random there?"  
    "That's it."  
    "Well, don't worry, we'll help you out," said Dot. "You can stay for however long you need, dad won't mind. Friskett, on the other hand…"  
    "Ah, don't worry Dot!" said Enzo. "Friskett won't do anything, will ya boy?"  
    There came a low and sinister growl in reply.

    "Well, probably not."  
    Welman came into the room, looking like he'd found a Web Portal in the house. "Now, Bob About sleeping arrangements. Um."  
    "I thought I'd room up with Enzo and Matrix?"  
    "There's no room." Welman had his fingers clasped together and looked down at them like they were the most engrossing thing in the world. "And not much in my room either. In fact, the only room we can put you in-"  
    Bob and Dot looked at each other. And blushed.

   "Indeed. But we have a sleeping bag you can use!" he burst out, still glad he could shelter his daughter in some way. "Um."

    "This shouldn't be a problem," said Dot in measured tones. "We're sensible people with sound minds. We can handle this."

Neither of them could get to sleep. Being so near to each other, and in Dot's bedroom no less, was sending them very strong and irrepressible hormonal signals.

    Both forced themselves to look at the ceiling, at Dot's posters on the wall (The Mainframe Strolling Players, a copy of a spreadsheet from Al's, a collage of corporate Icons, an odd punk band made of up Numerals), at the inside of their own eyelids and not under any circumstances the other person in the room.

     Things were getting very tense.

     "Dot:? You still awake?"  
    "Very much so."  
    "So, uh… how about the Pong team, eh?"  
   "Oh yeah, they're doing great. Phong's a master."  
   "Yeah. Uh… Megabyte! What a cool guy!"

   "He is, yes. Very."  
   "This isn't working, is it?"

   "Not really."  
   "Help."  
   Dot finally gave a snarl of annoyance. "This should not be happening! I've never had this problem near you before!"

    "We've always been in crowded public areas and with others. And now… we're in your room. In our pyjamas."  
     "OK, so we keep thinking about sex. It's not that big a deal, right? It's just a Software Exchange between two Sprites. We can put it to the back of our minds and get to sleep without incident."  
    "You really believe that?"  
    Dot whimpered. "No."  
    "Y'know, when I came here, I was all full of angst about my parents. Why can't I think of that some more instead of… exchanging?"

    "Well, you always were a bit estranged from your parents, weren't you? You always wanted to go beyond your set format. This is just you doing that, when you've already wanted to for an age. But… User damn it, we've only been going out for a few seconds!"  
    "We've both been perving over each other before then and you know it," he said.

    "True. Well… let's try to get to sleep anyway."  
    It was a good few milliseconds before either managed it.

Hexadecimal slept, arms wrapped around herself as she did so.

    She'd done another painting. Tried to. One of Bob and his halo. But it didn't turn out right and she'd destroyed it in a fit of rage.

   She had an odd dream where she was running around Mainframe with a Paint Program and making it into such pretty colours. It was a wonderful dream.

    She would try to paint it in the morning, only for it to not come out right And then she'd destroy it and cry and continue crying for a long time afterwards.


	7. Data Mart

**BYTE SEVEN: DATA MART**

Bob and Dot had finally managed to get to sleep. And they'd had… _interesting_ dreams.

Unfortunately, a few hours later it was time to get up. Bob had clambered out of the sleeping bag, yawned, removed his pyjamas clothing skin and prepared to head for the shower. Too late, he remembered his naked self was in Dot's room and she'd have woken up too.

"Ulp."

"I'm not looking," said Dot, her voice muffled from being under the covers. "Not looking, _not looking_-"

Bob made a run for the bathroom, passing the recently awakened Matrix on the way.

"…there was something I could have lived without seeing."

-

The family Matrix and Bob managed to make it through breakfast without any further incident, barring Friskett's many growls directed at Bob. Welman had to excuse himself early, as he was needed in the lab over the weekend. Again.

"So, what're you guys doing today?" asked Enzo.

"I need to go down the Data Mart," said Dot. "I'm running low on purple hair-dye and blank spreadsheets."

"Andi and I were planning to go there too," said Matrix. "Hold off for half a millisecond and we can join you."  
Bob shrugged. "Eh, I don't have anything else to do today. Suppose I could tag along, buy a wardrobe upgrade. Tell the truth, the Data Mart's never really been my kind of scene."  
"Ah, it's easy to pick up. Just mooch around looking at stuff. It's more about the window shopping than the actual… well, shopping."

"You're the type of shopper that glitches up all my hypothetical cash inflow forecasts."  
"Sorry sis." Pause. "Wait, how often do you have to do that in class?"  
"I do it for fun," she said. Then, as she noticed the stares she was getting, she said "What?! Some of us like our subjects!"  
"You scare me."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Mainframe Data Mart was a large and gaudy building that spanned through Levels 1-3 of Baudway. It was a focal point by most of the younger Sprites in Mainframe, more for social aspects than actual commerce. As the Matrixes, AndrAIa and Bob landed, they could see a group of Binomes in hoodies leaving. They were talking gangsta and trying to look threatening, an attempt ruined when Enzo hailed one of them with "Hey, Toque! You get those action figures you were after then?"  
"Uh… yeah. The Auto-ReBoot version of the Grasshopper Entomologizer."  
"Oh cool! That's the whole set you've got know isn't it?"

"Yeah," said Toque, realising his street cred was plummeting here.

"Alphanumeric! C'ya at school!"

The group continued on into the Mart. AndrAIa quickly pulled Matrix off with her towards the Ani SUMMERS clothing store. A brief look at the sort of clothing skins available there caused both Bob and Dot to descend into coughing fits as they attempted to divert their minds from a scary visual place.

"So- off to Excel for spreadsheets!" cried Dot.

"Eh, I'll catch up later," said Bob. "I'm not really into business stuff."  
"Wanna join me in browsing the toy store?" asked Enzo.

"Mmmmmmmm… yes. Yes I do."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

This was not how he'd wanted to spend his weekend. He'd intended to go to the Data Mart to get _away_ from his family. But he'd been made to take Hexadecimal with him, his father's snarl of "act like you're fragging family!" being the only reason given. Megabyte just figured that he wanted them out of the house so he could have Melissa come round.

Hexadecimal just walked along behind him, humming tunelessly and looking bored.

"Dear sister, how about we split up from here? I have things of my own to do and you… I don't know, you can look at the Paint store."  
Hexadecimal's mask briefly turned sad. "Oh, dear brother, are you trying to get away from me?" Smirk. "That's not very brotherly of you, is it?"

"Perish the thought!" _I wish you were dead_.

Happy mask. "Tata!" And off she flew.

The virus shook his head and headed off to WMV. There were some Wagner CDs he wished to purchase.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Check it out! The new Scarab Entomologizer!"

Bob pulled a face. "I never can get into the new guys. Show worked better when it was just the original five and the old mecha."  
"You gotta move with the times, Bob."

"Like hell I do." Bob suddenly caught sight of Sally from the pirate's gang and called over at her. "Hey Sally- Radical ReBooting Entomologizers, better with the original team or with the new ones?"  
Sally gave the matter a bit of thought and then said "The new crew, says I. That scurvy lot in the originals were too perfect-"

"But that was the _point_! They were archetypal characters!"  
"Mayhap, matey, but the new ones are more interesting. That Scarab one has a storyline that really keelhauls ye with its drama!"

Bob sighed. "Philistines. I'm surrounded by philistines."

"I generally weigh anchor in front of Pantsu Heavy X, so's I do."

"Eh. Can't beat the classics is all I'll say."  
"I'll disagree with you on that," broke in Enzo. "In fact…"

So on, so on.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Success?" asked AndrAIa.

"They had a two-for-one offer on spreadsheets." Dot's grin was terrible to see. "Can't pass up a bargain like that!"

"Oh, I know! I managed to buy-" She paused as she saw Dot blushing already. "Uh, how about I don't talk about what I bought?"  
"Thank you."  
"So, er… where'd you get those glasses from? All that shiny stuff on it mustn't have come cheap."  
"Actually, I sprinkled that on myself. It works well to be economical. See these ripped tights? Self done. It's much cheaper than downloading pre-ripped ones. And money saved on clothes is money I can invest!"

"And money I'll spend on action figures!" said Bob, walking up with Enzo and waving bags of stuff.

"I thought you were after wardrobe upgrades?"  
"Ah. Well." Bob shifted uncomfortably. "They had an original Waspinator toy in stock. I can't pass up Waspinator."

"You and your toys. Anyway, who wants lunch? Giga-Bite's?"  
"That place freaks me out," said Matrix. "Their mascot… a huge, hulking engine of destruction with massive claws, and he's got a red nose and clown outfit on."  
"It was set up when Viral Integration began. Viruses wanted to prove they weren't threatening."  
"I'd be less threatened if he wasn't dressed in a clown outfit. It's like he's hiding something. Makes me go for my gun."  
"You don't have a gun," said Enzo.

"Yet."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

After the lunch, they ran into Daemon and Phong. Or to put it more accurately, Daemon and Phong came at them with a rapidfire blaze of theology.

"There _must_ be a higher purpose laid into the Programming behind the Net, something that Spritekind can decode and understand if they try! Why else would we have been made with such questing minds?"

"No, that implies inevitability and fatalism! That there is only one outcome! But clearly our choices do matter. No, we have been put on the Net to create a higher purpose, to expand our formats!"

"That is almost hubris-"

"Why? We are allowed to upgrade ourselves beyond how we were created, clearly the User wants us to do this…"

Bob raised his hand. "My head hurts."

"Oh, it's quite simple really," said Daemon.

"It is?"

"Feh. The User exists and he's remote," said Dot dismissively. "Why bother trying to figure him out?"  
"I dunno. I always thought it would be cool to try and _contact_ the User, see if he really does live outside the Net and what it's like…"

Daemon and Phong looked at each other.

"Hubris."

"That is correct."

"So," said AndrAIa, "do we have a plan on what we're all going to do now at the Mart, or do we just wander about aimlessly talking about random stuff?"  
"Aimless and random works for me!" said Bob.

And lo, there was much aimlessness and randomness.

Most of it was unremarkable- just a few friends, hanging out together and walking around, occasionally browsing shops but not really buying anything else. Normal stuff.

Until they found Hexadecimal.

-

She'd had a fine time on her own, browsing through all the art stuff, until she started to feel closed in. There were too many people around. Everywhere she looked, too many people. Too. Many.

So she froze. Panicked. Scared. Unsure of what to do. Gnawing feelings of helplessness and fear.

She had come very close to blasting people.

Instead, she crumpled up and curled in on herself in a fetal position. She was scared and surrounded and she kept wanting to lash out and there was no one she knew around.

"Hex?"

Bob. Good Bob, kind Bob, sexy Bob, god Bob.

"Are you alright?" Pause. "Are you hurt?" His voice was getting more urgent.

Bob could help. He could save her. He was shiny and armour encased. He helped. Yes.

"I want to go home," she muttered, her voice leaden.

Brief talking. Then good Bob, lovely Bob helped pick her up.

Someone else was with him. A threat?! Who?! Should she attack or-

Ah. Daemon. She remembered her. Came round her house with pamphlets. Had a yellow aura around her. Safe. Yes.

Hexadecimal relaxed, and her mask became one of blank neutrality.

-

Bob looked over at everyone and shrugged apologetically.

"I'll be back, I just need to take her home. You don't need to help, Daemon."

"Do not worry."

The two of them set off out of the Data Mart, him on Zip-Board and her on her own power, with Hexadecimal carried between them. Dot watched them and found she was tense.

"You OK sis?" asked Matrix.

"I'm fine. Really."

"You don't trust Hex."

She sighed. "No. But I can't tell Bob that. You know he's protective of her for some reason."

_And I know that's part of what I find attractive about him- his compassion, his empathy, his willingness to stick up for others. But she scares me. I don't think he's safe around her. Or anyone is. And it's not because she's a virus because I know Daemon and Megabyte are no threat but… there's something about Hex. Bob needs to be careful_.  
_And I can't, won't, tell him this. Even if he feels the same way around her, I can't see him ever stop being protective. It's just who he is._

_Spam it, spam it_, spam it. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

And while all this happens, where was Mouse? Where was the bright, flirty, vivacious Sprite who would normally be out and about with her friends and Hacker mates?

At home. Passed out. GIGO infecting her Code. Heading towards deletion.

She was not the only Sprite suffering. Megabyte has other customers, other victims, and he's got his tracks well covered.

Things were getting worse in Mainframe High. This had escaped the attention of most people there, but things were getting tense. Something had to give.

And very soon, something would.

-


End file.
